San Jose police announce arrest in fatal office party stabbing

SAN JOSE -- Police announced Wednesday that they arrested a suspect in a fatal office party stabbing hours after the early Dec. 21 slaying.

Tien Nguyen, a 23-year-old San Jose resident, fled the scene -- an office park on the 1600 block of Oakland Road in North San Jose -- but was located several hours later after investigators were tipped on his whereabouts and given information indicating he was responsible.

Nguyen was arrested without incident and booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of homicide.

Police said Nguyen and Steve Bangalan, 30, both were at a party being held for a company called The Agency when an argument broke out.

The argument "ultimately led to the victim, Bangalan, being stabbed," according to a news release, and he was found outside the office building about 3 a.m. and taken to Regional Medical Center of San Jose, where he was pronounced dead at 3:38 a.m.

Investigators did not release any further information about the nature of the argument that spurred the attack.

Nguyen is being held without bail.

The stabbing was the city's 45th homicide of the year. A Dec. 31 shooting brought the total to 46, the highest since San Jose recorded 53 in 1991.

Anyone with information about the case can contact Detective Sgt. Craig Storlie in the homicide unit at 408-277-5283 or leave a tip with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP or tipsubmit.com.